LOOKING UNTO JE., S US From the Creation until hu jirft coming. The Tbird Book. Revel. x. 8, II. '[he Lord willgive theefor a Covenant of the people.- '--– Hear ye deaf, and l?~iz.ye blind, thaiye mayfee. C HA P. I. SECT. I. . Of Chrifl Promifed by degrm. N this period, as in the former, we lhall fir!l lay down the Object; and then dired: you how to look.. upon it. The ObjeCt is [efm, carrying on the work of mans falvation in that dark rime before his coming in the fle{JJ. .. No fooner is the,world made, and the things therein; but man was created, that way might be made for God to lhew his grare in the falvation ofhis Eled:. And now was it that Gods eternal proje~, and counfel , and fore-knowlege, and putpofe, •nd decree, and Covenant with Chri!l: was to come into execution. Indeed at the fir!l: there was no need ofChri!l; for man at fir!l was made in bolinefs, the image of God, and to beare rule over the rdl of the vifible creatures ; though this his !late was but of a little !landing. It was the received opinion in forme( times that our fir!l·parents fell the very fame day in which they were created. Auguftine among{\ the re!l writes that they !lood but fix hours : but though we cannot defcribe the certain time , very probable it is, that it was but !hart: This ,we finde , that Mofes having fer down the creation o(man, without the interpofition of any thing elfe,he comes immediately to the fall ; and the Devil no doubt took the fidl: occafio_n he pollibly could, to bring man to the fame damnation with himfdf. Well then, long ~c was not but Ael,am by his fin deprived himfelf, and all his pollerity of the image of God : All manktnd was in his loynes, fo by the order and appointment of God all mankind partake with him in the guilt of his finnes: Hence is the daily and continual cry, not only of Adam, .Abraham, David, Pa~tl, but ofevery Saint, 0 wretched man that I am, who jlJa/1 deliver me from the body of this death? But fweet foules, fray your comelaints , here's Gofpel-newes.- r · ln this fad ~10ure of temptation God ft;pped in: he will not leave man without hope; hetelsrhe Dev1l who begun this mifchief; t will put enmity between thee, and the woman, and between t.hy {ted and herfeed' it jha!l bruife thy head, and thol< ji,alt bruife his heete. At the very mftant, whm God was pronouncing judgment upon the feveral delinquents I - in 57
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